Chapter 58 – The Two Break Their Contract and Leave the Group

Hearing the woman's furious threat to accuse him of assault, Bai Zehan was utterly panic-stricken. He lost his balance, collapsing to the floor, stunned for a moment before scrambling to Gao Tiange, who was busy dressing, and clutching her leg.

"Tiange, Tiange, I was just joking with the viewers! You can't sue me. If you do, my life will be ruined!" he pleaded desperately.

Gao Tiange kicked the man clinging to her aside with force, her gaze cold and venomous, devoid of any affection.

"Tiange, we've been together for so long. You can't destroy me like this!" Bai Zehan whimpered, tears threatening to spill, looking so pitiful that Gao Tiange felt not only disappointed but also disgusted.

She hadn't expected that, in the face of this crisis, the man would not stand up to protect her, but instead would throw mud at her.

He claimed she seduced him?

Ridiculous!

A bitter smile curled at Gao Tiange's lips as she looked at him with detached indifference. "Bai Zehan, you'd better keep quiet. The more you say, the worse it will be for you."

Bai Zehan froze, terror flickering across his face. He glanced at the live-stream camera, then back at the calm, silent Gao Tiange.

She was right. He was struggling in this city, and his company might not step in for PR. But Gao Tiange was different; she was the leading star of Chaoyang Pictures, their golden goose. The company would do anything to protect her.

"Tiange, I just..." Bai Zehan frowned, full of apologies. He tried to grasp her hand but she recoiled with disgust.

"Bai Zehan, you're finished. I never thought you were this kind of person!" Gao Tiange grabbed her coat from the kang, storming out of the room, not forgetting to glare menacingly at the live-stream camera as she left.

Last night, she was certain the camera was turned off before sleep.

How did it suddenly start live-streaming?

Thinking of how dozens of thousands had watched her and Bai Zehan together last night and this morning, she couldn't suppress her rage.

"Ring—"

"Tianchi, how's the PR going? And Bai Zehan—I will definitely sue him."

When forced to choose between her career and a man, Gao Tiange would never hesitate to abandon the man.

Especially after Bai Zehan's slander!

"Tiange, it's too late! Remember what I told you last night? I told you to be careful with Bai Zehan! This show is live; you never know when the camera will be on you!"

On the other end, Feng Tianchi sounded equally frantic.

"What? Who am I? The show crew dares treat me like this? Use every means for PR!" Gao Tiange's shouts echoed throughout the farmhouse.

"Ms. Gao, do you realize how much damage you've caused our show? The reputation of the whole production team has been ruined by you two!" Gao Minglang saw Gao Tiange emerge and strode forward, suppressing his anger as he rebuked her word by word.

But Gao Tiange flared up even more. "What's wrong with your crew? Are the cameras allowed to be turned on at will? Who am I? Did you get my permission to live-stream all night? What about my losses? How dare you stand here and accuse me?"

Knowing she couldn't stay in this show any longer, Gao Tiange decided to let things break completely.

"Liangzi, the contract," Gao Minglang barked sternly at Chen Liang, who had just helped Fu Jiaojiao back inside, his face dark.

This self-important film queen really thought herself a big deal, twisting facts with ease.

Before joining, every guest signed a contract with the show, and the first clause was—

[The director team reserves the right to live-stream at any time. The guests must cooperate unconditionally and maintain their own image. If a guest causes negative impact to the show, they must withdraw and compensate ten times the penalty.]

Gao Tiange's hands trembled as she looked at the contract. She hadn't read it carefully when she signed...

Now, not only was her own reputation ruined, but she owed the production five million in compensation!

"Is there any other way?" The forceful attitude that Gao Tiange once had evaporated instantly.

"There is no other way. Public apology, pay the penalty, and withdraw from the show with Bai Zehan," Gao Minglang said, though he didn't want to continue with the program, seeking to end things well.

The show had been thrown into chaos by these two insatiable people.

"Mr. Bai, stop hiding in the room. Weren't you so eloquent in front of the live camera just now?" Mu Ran cast a mocking glance at Gao Tiange, then lazily called out to the "coward" inside.

Gao Tiange, stung by Mu Ran's sarcasm, was about to confront her, suspecting her of foul play, but Gao Minglang held her back.

"Gao Tiange, do you not want to survive in this industry? If you keep acting like this, Chaoyang Pictures will drop you. Don't provoke the wrong people," Gao Minglang warned her in a low voice.

"Director Gao, it's that vile Mu Ran who did this! You have to believe me!" Gao Tiange was desperate to tear Mu Ran apart.

Mu Ran sneered, raising her phone and playing last night's live replay. "What? You think I sneaked into your room and turned on the camera? Ms. Gao, I've always respected you as a senior. You and Bai Zehan plotted against me last night, and now you slander me?"

Mu Ran's phone was playing the very conversation where Gao Tiange and Bai Zehan schemed against her.

Gao Tiange's face burned red, speechless, standing stunned in the snow.

After a moment, she collapsed weakly to the ground, but no one helped her up.

"Mu Ran, go to hell!"

Suddenly, a figure burst from the room, charging straight at Mu Ran.

Bang—

"Bai Zehan, do you want to die?" Gu Beicheng withdrew his long leg, his eyes icy as he glared at the man curled on the ground, clutching his stomach.

Everyone was stunned, shocked by Gu Beicheng's swift and ruthless action.

Bai Zehan endured the pain in his abdomen, cold sweat breaking out, his gaze poisonous as he stared at Mu Ran, who was held in Gu Beicheng's arms. "Mu Ran, what good does it do you to treat me like this?!"

Mu Ran looked at him deeply, mocking, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You’re nothing but a whore! Used up, a public bus!" Bai Zehan spat.

The show was still live.

The scene of Bai Zehan and Gao Tiange's unreasonable outburst was broadcasted.

Viewers left furious comments—

"Unfollow! Unfollow!"

"Never thought Bai Zehan was this kind of person!"

"Gao Tiange is no better!"

"What did Mu Ran do wrong? Why are they slandering her?"

"Mu Ran is excellent; they're just jealous!"

"These three episodes, Mu Ran never provoked anyone. It was always those people targeting her!"

"Let's protect Mu Ran together!"

"Supported Bai Zehan for years, never expected him to be so filthy!"

"Look at Fu Jiaojiao..."

"Fu Jiaojiao's lips are purple from the cold."

"Bai Zehan, you’re such a dog, biting everyone you see. You climbed onto Gao Tiange’s kang in the middle of the night; who do you blame? If you’d just stayed in the snow hut, the live stream wouldn’t have affected you. Look at Fu Jiaojiao, frozen stiff—she was already simple, now she's even more so!" Qi Jun gritted his teeth, contemptuous as he stood before Bai Zehan. He disliked Fu Jiaojiao, but at this moment, the woman freezing out there was pitiful.

Bai Zehan shot an impatient, disdainful glance at Fu Jiaojiao, who was shivering under a military coat, silently cursing her stupidity—why didn’t she find a way to keep warm? If she froze to death, she’d deserve it.

Fu Jiaojiao, curled up, caught the disgust in Bai Zehan's eyes and felt her heart grow colder.

"Bai Zehan, I hate you!"

With those words, anger overwhelmed her and she collapsed, fainting.

Everyone stared at her unmoving body, silently wondering if she was faking, since she was certainly capable of such antics.

Mu Ran released Gu Beicheng's hand, walked toward Fu Jiaojiao, crouched beside her and spoke in a low, amused voice, "Fu Jiaojiao, now that Gao Tiange and Bai Zehan are at each other's throats, it's a good opportunity for you."

The woman on the ground fluttered her eyelids, slowly opened her eyes, no emotion in her gaze, and said, "That man is of no use to me anymore."

Bai Zehan was finished now and would be even more so in the future.

"Get up, the ground is cold. Go inside and warm up. If something happens to you, no one will take you to the hospital."

Mu Ran's icy concern warmed Fu Jiaojiao's heart, and she got up and went inside.

She didn't see the sharp, meaningful glint in Mu Ran's eyes as she turned away.

"You care about her?" Gu Beicheng approached, once again taking her small hand in his, his fingers teasing her palm.

Mu Ran looked up without a word, her expression saying: Are you kidding me???

"Bai Zehan, Gao Tiange, please leave now. I’ll discuss the details with your companies," Gao Minglang said, his tone weary yet authoritative, signaling the driver to take them to the airport.

"I won’t leave! I’m the victim!" Gao Tiange stood her ground, refusing to board, her gaze venomous as she watched the dejected Bai Zehan get in. Her fists were clenched so tightly her nails dug into her palms, her legs rigid, radiating a fierce, unyielding energy.

"You’re the victim? Ms. Gao, the director is giving you an out. If you don’t take it, when I reveal what you did to me last night, there’ll be no turning back." Song Xiao, who had been quietly observing, smiled at Gao Tiange, secretly vowing never to join a reality show again—it was too horrifying!

The man's barbed words made Gao Tiange's heart clench. She swept her gaze over everyone present—these people were all allied with Mu Ran!

The live-stream incident was surely connected to Mu Ran!

Bai Zehan, Mu Ran! Those two wretches! Once she got back, she’d find a way to destroy them!

"Hmph!"

Gao Tiange stormed off, boarding the same car Bai Zehan had just entered.